Improvement in skirt-elevators



MARGARET H, BERGEN.

Skirt-Elevators.

No.'l2'9,9i9. Pa tentedJuly30,1872.,

MARGARET H. BERGEN, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SKIRT-ELEVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,919, dated July 30, 1872 Specification describing a new and useful Improvement in Skirt-Elevator, invented by MARGARET H. BERGEN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York.

As the fashion now prevails for trained dresses there seems to be a necessity for an efficient and practical skirt-elevator, to be attached to every such dress for the convenience of a lady in case she should be overtaken in a storm, or even when the weather may be pleasant overhead, but the streets damp and muddy. If, on such occasions, one attempts to carry the dress in the hand, it becomes very much wrinkled, as well as a burden. 1 now offer to the public an elevator in the use of which a trained dress can be converted, with one minutes adjustment, into a walking-costume, hanging perfectly smooth and even, so that it cannot be recognized as a long dress. This gives the advantage of using the same dress either for an evening,

' toilet, orawalking dress. This important feature of invention has never been afforded to the public before, so far as I am aware. But this twofold use of the same dress is not the only advantage. The remarkable facility with which its function may be performed and the exemption of the dress from wrinkles are important considerations.

The invention consists of a tape, of the proper length, with rings attached at certain intervals, having a cord passing through them, and fastened with a ring to the waistband in the center of the back. The tape is then sewed at the right distance (depending altogether upon the length of train) from the bottom of the dress,'running in a curve from the middle of the skirt to the proper distance. The ends of the cord, with a button to keep it from slipping back, are brought through an opening in either seam of the front breadth, to be drawn middle of the dress, on the back side or above the train, and extending half way, more or less, around the dress, substantially as-seen inFig. 2. O G are cords, one of the ends of which are attached to the waist, as seen at D. From this point they extend down the back,

and their other ends are separately passed through the rings,as seen in Fig. 1, and then the ends are carried up under the dress to near the waist, where they are passed through the holes F in the dress, with a button on the ends, as seen at E, Fig. 2. When the lady desires to raise her train she-draws upon these cords and ties the ends together in front.

The cords slip through the rings, but, being confined to the waist at-the point D,the effect is to raise the tape, and, consequently, the train, more or less, according to the length of the train. The train is lowered by simply loosening the cords in front and adjusting the dress behind. These cords are knotted together below the waist, as seen at G. which prevents their spreading above that point. The distance from the tape A to the knot G is the distance the dress may be raised, and this may be more or less, as may be desired.

Instead of two cords a single long cord attached at the middle at the point D may be employed. That is immaterial.

With this device applied to her dress a lady may wear her train or raise it from the ground with the least possible trouble.

I am aware that devices for this same purpose have heretofore been applied to ladies dresses; but I am not aware that anything that is practical, or constructed upon true mechanical principles, has hitherto been invented.

My improvement is readily applied, is simple and cheap, and supplies awant that has long been felt by the ladies.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l As a new article of manufacture, a skirtliftermade of the tape A, rings B, cords O, and ring D, combined and arranged as shown anddescribed.

MARGARET H. BERGEN. Witnesses:

T. B. MOSHER, W. A. GRAHAM. 

